Breakfast Bunch: The Criminal's Secret
by Butterfly Kitty
Summary: Oneshot. Tori finds something out about Jade that's really shocking. During that scene where Robbie and Cat are butterfly kissing and such. Not a romance story. And remember that scene in the movie where Bender said his dad abuses him? Keep that in mind.


We were all laying in the library on the floor. Next door, Robbie and Cat were flirting, maybe "hooking up." We didn't know.

"So, Tori, did your dad really teach you how to do archery with your feet?" Beck asked, rubbing his hands over Jade's covered arms. She seemed to flinch a little.

"Yeah Tori, we wanna know," Jade sneered. I averted my gaze, nostalgia rushing over me.

"C'mon Tori," Andre said. I blinked the sadness out of my eyes.

"He did," I said quietly, forcing my voice not to crack. "When I was five."

"And why are you sad?" Jade asked in an almost-taunting tone.

"He died last week," I whispered.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," Beck said. He and Andre looked sad, but Jade didn't waver. After a few minutes Beck spoke.

"I was born in a fatcake factory. My mom was touring the place and I was born. She didn't want me to get addicted to Canadian fatcakes so she and my dad brought me here," Beck said.

"You've never had a fatcake?" I asked. Beck nodded. "Don't they sell Canadian fatcakes in America?"

"No, the federal government made them illegal," Beck said.

"My cousin, you know, the one who drives me to school? He's an addict," Andre said. "So's my father, but he's cool. That's why I live with my Grandma." I noticed Jade was unusually quiet. I figured it'd be kind of fun to turn the tables on her.

"So Jade, how's your family?" I asked innocently.

"Fine, thanks," Jade said. Her cold stare made me shiver.

"Why are you in such a bad mood today?" I asked. "Is your daddy bugging you again?" Jade stiffened. I'm getting to her a little. I decided to go with the guessing game approach. "Can I guess what he did?" I asked, not waiting for an answer. "He was yelling at you, wasn't he?" No answer. "Was your stepmom's dog trying to eat you?" Not one word.

"My favorite toy was a hammer. You finish the puzzle," Jade muttered, getting up. "I'm going to the bathroom." She left, and I followed, peering into the room where Cat and Robbie were. They were, in fact, hooking up. Sort of. Well, they were kissing... down the collarbone... chest... both shirtless... I'm moving on now. We got to the bathroom. Jade checked behind her, reached the mirror, and took off her jacket. That's when I pieced the puzzle.

Fist sized bruises littered Jade's arms and shoulders. She poked one of the bruises and flinched. Then she looked closer at the mirror, pulling up her bangs to reveal a deep cut on her forehead. She sighed, leaning against the wall and sliding down to sit on the floor.

"Jade?" I called quietly. Jade's head shot up and she yanked her jacket on. "There's no use in that, I already saw it all." I sat next to her, pulling off her jacket. "How bad was he?"

"It's not all that bad, I mean, he yells at me all the time, saying he hates me and thinks I'm fat, talentless, and ugly, but only on occasion he's physical," Jade said.

"Actually, that's really bad Jade." Jade said nothing. "What was the cut from? Can I see it?" Jade moaned, but lifted her bangs anyway.

"He threw a beer bottle at me." I looked close at the cut, seeing just how deep it was.

"And how often does he get physical?" I asked.

"Most days he's okay," Jade answered.

"What do you mean?" I sat back on my heels.

"Like, only the weekends he gets physical. That's the only time I really ever see him." I looked down at her arms, turning them so I could see every bruise. "Done yet?"

"Are you open to help?" I asked, ignoring Jade's snarky remark.

"Beck helps me."

"Okay, I mean professional help."

"No."

"My dad's a... nevermind." I expect a snarky remark, but what comes next shocks me.

"...I'm so sorry," Jade said quietly, getting up to leave. I pulled her back.

"We need to report this," I said.

"No, Tori, just stay out of my life," Jade muttered, storming out of the bathroom.

_Just stay out of my life..._

I thought of that the rest of the day. As we walked out of the library and parted ways, I shot Jade a knowing look and she nodded ever so slightly, walking away with Beck.

I realized I had a decision to make. Keep the secret, or report it? Jade wanted to keep the secret badly.

So I kept it.


End file.
